Youth Update: May 14

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – This past weekend, the New England Revolution youth teams posted an unprecedented weekend in program history, going a combined 4-0-0 on the road in divisional play.

It marked the first time in program history the Under-18s and Under-16s both swept their weekend opponents on the road, as the Revs traveled to meet South Central Premier in Bridgeport, Conn., on Saturday, May 12, before taking on Oakwood SC in Portland, Conn., on Sunday, May 13.

UNDER-18s

On Saturday, the Under-18s earned a 2-1 come-from-behind victory against South Central Premier. Abraham Bartoah opened South Central’s account in the 11th minute and the home side maintained the lead for much of the first half. After suffering a foul in the 37th minute, Ramiro Osorio (Hooksett, N.H.) took the resulting free kick early. The first-year Rev put his shot on target, catching the wall and goalkeeper off guard to equalize. On the other side of the break, Osorio combined with Jack Hilger (Hopkinton, Mass.) to put New England ahead in the 63rd minute. The one-goal advantage held through to the final whistle, the win setting the tone for the rest of the weekend.

The U18s then topped Oakwood SC, 6-4, on Sunday. Hilger scored four goals – assisted twice by both Osorio and Peguy Ngatcha (Manchester, N.H.) – in the eighth, 11th, 43rd and 50th minutes. Sandwiched between Hilger’s efforts, Ngatcha headed home Osorio’s corner-kick service in the 32nd minute and Colin Patch (Providence, R.I.) combined with Manny Andrade (Boston, Mass.) to score in the 48th minute. Oakwood then scored four goals in the final 30 minutes of play. Brandon Sousa put the first consolation goal away in the 66th minute, and Matthew Berry followed up with three of his own in the 68th, 72nd and 83rd minutes. But the Revs still held a two-goal advantage at the final whistle, earning three more points on the road.

UNDER-16s

On Saturday, the Under-16s blanked South Central Premier, 4-0. Amadu Kunateh (Lynn, Mass.) put the Revs ahead in the 25th minute, receiving a through ball from Kevin Herrera (Lynn, Mass.) and going one-on-one with the South Central goalkeeper. Declan McCabe (Weston, Mass.) then scored a pair of goals, assisted by Matt Cooper (Londonderry, N.H.) in the 30th minute and Kunateh in the 41st. In the 63rd minute, Luke Albertini (North Attleborough, Mass.) scored his first Revolution goal, getting a head on McCabe’s corner-kick service. South Central was unable to answer, and the U16s walked away with their first win of the weekend.

The U16s earned a 1-0 victory against Oakwood SC on Sunday. The teams remained deadlocked until the 72nd minute, when Kunateh scored his second goal on the weekend. Gabe Gissie (Worcester, Mass.) sparked the attack with his run down the left, passing to Kunateh, who toe-poked the ball past the oncoming Oakwood goalkeeper. Austin Aviza (Medway, Mass.) made three saves to preserve the shut out – his second on the weekend and sixth of the season.

With wins across the board, the Under-18 team (8-7-3, 27 pts.) jumped four spots in the standings of the Northeast Division in U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s East Conference – from sixth place to second place – while the Under-16 team (11-6-1, 34 pts.) now sits atop of their table.

The youth teams next take on rivals FC Greater Boston in the first portion of the teams’ home and away series that spans two consecutive weekends. The Revs will play Greater Boston at Harvard University on Saturday, May 19, before hosting the club in Hopkinton, Mass., on Saturday, May 26.